Method of reminding and apparatus for its practice

ABSTRACT

A method, and the apparatus for its practice, of automatically reminding a person to wipe his or her feet at the entrance to a home or establishment, including employing a visual sign, with or without an audible signal, with switch means to strikingly present a lighted message proximate to the doorway. The method is operable either by an inhabitant or a visitor, the context of the sign effectively inducing the person to perform the act of wiping his feet prior to entrance. Furthermore, this method innocuously and automatically reminds either an inhabitant or visitor of the necessity of wiping his or her feet without any verbal intervention by the party interested in the performance of this social grace.

Freeman Oct. 28, 1975 METHOD OF REMINDING AND APPARATUS FOR ITS PRACTICE[76] Inventor: Harrod E. Freeman, 3000 Cleveland Blvd., Louisville, Ky.40206 [22] Filed: Dec. 10, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 531,276

Related U.S. Application Data [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No391,421, Aug. 24,

[52] U.S. Cl 340/272; 340/326 [51] Int. Cl. G08B 13/10 [58] Field ofSearch 340/326, 330, 272

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,360,791 l2/l967 Lazar340/332 Primary Examiner-Thomas B. l-labecker Attorney, Agent, orFirm-David l-l. Semmes [5 7] ABSTRACT A method, and the apparatus forits practice, of automatically reminding a person to wipe his or herfeet at the entrance to a home or establishment, including employing avisual sign, with or without an audible signal, with switch means tostrikingly present a lighted message proximate to the doorway. Themethod is operable either by an inhabitant or a visitor, the context ofthe sign effectively inducing the person to perform the act of wipinghis feet prior to entrance. Furthermore, this method innocuously andautomatically reminds either an inhabitant or visitor of the necessityof wiping his or her feet without any verbal intervention by the partyinterested in the performance of this social grace.

15 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures US. Patent Oct. 28,1975 Sheet 1 of23,916,401

U.S. Patent Oct. 28, 1975 Sheet 2 of2 3,916,401

METHOD OF REMINDING AND APPARATUS FOR ITS PRACTICE CROSS-REFERENCE TORELATED APPLICATIONS This is a continuation-in-part of my copendingapplication Ser. No. 391,421, filed Aug. 24, 1973 and entitled AUTOMATICREMINDER.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The apparatus according to this inventionemploys a sign, with audible attention getting means as required, at theexterior of a home or establishment which automatically or selectivelyoperates to visually present to a visitor the message Please Wipe Feet,in order to save the trouble and embarrassment of repeated verbaladmonishments. Such an apparatus employed according to the methodologytaught herein will greatly assist a homeowner to maintain the conditionof his interior carpets or the like.

The long-felt need for such an automated method of notification to thoseapproaching a carpeted dwelling, or establishment, may instantly beappreciated by an inspection of the carpeting in most homes andestablishments. This invention answers that long-felt and unsolved needby identifying, and taking advantage of, the root cause of the problem.There is a latent sense of responsibility, or social awareness, presentin virtually all human beings. While anyone possessing even the minimalof the social graces is conscious of the necessity of wiping one s feetupon entering a dwelling, due to inadvertence this simple courtesy isoften unconsciously overlooked. The embarrassment and continualannoyance, to the proprietor of the home or establishment, which wouldaccrue from repeated personal verbal admonishments are either to greatto bear, or else contraindicated after a simple consideration of publicrela tions. This invention identifies and solves the total problem bytaking advantage of both reflex action as well as the Pavolovian-typeresponses available within most human beings when confronted by asufficiently immediate, if not startling, stimulus.

The type of circuitry and switch means is notoriously well-known for thepurpose of actuating a door sign or other such device upon the approachof a visitor, as shown by US. Pat. Nos. 3,360,791 and 2,783,327.However, there is no known recognition in the prior art that thespecific yet universal problems resulting from uncleaned feet crossing adoorway can be remedied through the employment of an automatic orselectively operated visual reminder. Therefore, it is an object of thepresent invention to answer this long-felt and, up until this time,unsolved need of occupants of homes and establishments with anautomatic, non-verbal means to help maintain the condition of carpeting,or the like, on their respective floors.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a method which willimmediately reinforce, in the average human being, the desirable socialgrace of wiping ones feet before entry into a home or establishment.

It is yet a further object of this invention to provide an electricalapparatus which will inexpensively and efficiently perform the functionof admonishing visitors and inhabitants of homes or establishmentswithout the need of the constant personal admonishments on the part ofthe interested parties within the dwelling.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspectiveview showing one possible positioning of the automatic reminderapparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic showing, in somewhat greater detail, the structureand operating components according to two embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a composite perspective view showing alternate switching meanswhich may be employed to actuate the reminder according to thisinvention;

FIG. 4 is a structural modification of the sign component of theinvention.

Referring now in more detail to the drawings, in FIG. 1 there is shownan entrance door to a home, establishment, or other building,fragmentarily shown at 12, and having, for example, a window such as at14 and an entrance porch or stoop 16. As is usual practice at such anentranceway, a doormat 18, well adapted for wiping ones feet, is placedon the porch proximate to the entranceway.

The automatic reminder circuitry which is employed to perform the methodaccording to the present invention is capable of either automatically orselectively reminding people to wipe their feet on the mat beforeentering and walking upon the interior carpeting or the like. By havinga circuit, as herein disclosed, the proprietor or owner of the dwellingis saved the annoyance, and inevitable embarrassment, which is attendantto verbally reminding each and every visitor to wipe his feet beforeentering. At this point it should be noted that passive signs, or othersuch passive systems, which rely on human interpretation and consciousreaction have in the past been widely employed to urge people to adoptvarious accepted social gracessuch as wiping ones feet before entering adwelling. However, as can be seen in any dwelling that one may wish toinspect, the efficacy of such passive admonishments is at bestquestionable. According to the present methodology, as implemented bythe presently disclosed apparatus, this invention teaches a method, andthe apparatus for its practice, which capitalizes upon an involuntaryreflex action; the wiping of ones feet in response to a sudden stimuli.

This desirable social behaviour pattern is accomplished, according to apreferred embodiment of the present invention, by employing a visualmessage presenting means 20, of wood or metal, which is itself providedwith mounting brackets 22 to allow simple installation upon such a wallsurface as is shown in FIG. 1 to be adjacent and immediate proximate toan entranceway or door 10. The front surface of the box may beconveniently constructed either with a perforated rendition, in a plate,of the letters comprising the message, as illustrated in FIG. 1 at 21,or alternatively, the message may be spelled out with bright, orfluorescent, lettering as illustrated at 23 in FIG. 4. If the letteringis fluorescent, an external lighting means may be employed asschematically illustrated in FIG. 4 at 31. In any event, the essentialcriterion for this visual message presenting means is that it beproximate to an entranceway, and associated mat, and also highly visibleto one approaching the entranceway when at the point of actual entrythrough the entranceway itself. The proximate location of the sign israther critical, since the entire methodology of the instant inventiondepends upon a reflex, or knee-jerk, reaction on the part of the visitorto the sudden stimulus he receives as will hereinafter be moreparticularly explained.

Mounted interiorly of the box 20 may be a buzzer 32 or other audiblesound emitting device. Electric lead 34 and 36 from buzzer 32 areconventionally interconnected with the lamp 26 having an electric plugand socket arrangement and mounted in a conventional fashion as shownmore clearly in FIG. 2. The lamp itself may be either mounted to theback of the box with a strap 30 or, alternatively, as shown in dottedlines in FIG. 2, a hood 9 may allow for frontal lighting of afluroescent rendition of a Please Wipe Feet message, with the bulb 26'thusly protected from the elements. Such constructional features of thecircuit are of course well known and do not, per se, form part of theinventive concept herein disclosed.

From an inspection of FIG. 1 it can be seen that there is a electricsignal generating or switching line, illustrated schematically as 35which broadly functions as the switch or generating means for thecircuitry. The reminder system according to this invention isschematically shown as having a power supply line 37 having,conveniently, a conventional plug 38.

The invention may now be explained by illustration with reference toFIG. 1. When a visitor approaches and rings a door bell, illustrated bynumeral 25, or knocks on the door or otherwise indicates his presence,he is constrained to stand upon mat 18. Another person, within theentranceway, will step upon foot switch 40, which is placed within thedwelling proximate to the door, when coming toward the entranceway inresponse to the visitors presence. This action on the part of theinhabitant of the dwelling generates an electrical signal in controlcircuit line 35 and results in an illumination of the sign 20 and,optionally, actuation of buzzer system 32 to generate an audible signalto ensure that requisite stimulation to the visitors conscious and/orsubconscious mind which will cause him to involuntarily begin a reflexor knee-jerk" activitywiping his feet on mat 18. It may be noted that,to enhance the stimulation, the visual message presenting means 20 mayincorporate an interrupter circuit to induce a rapidly blinkingillumination of the sign. This sudden assault on the senses-and thesensibilitiesof the visitor initiates an involuntary response on thepart of the visitor; without thinking, he immediately begins to rapidlyshuffle his feet upon the mat 18, thus cleaning them of dirt, or anyforeign material, which would most certainly be injurious to thecarpeting, or the like, located within the entranceway. In this firstembodiment, the initiation or actuation of this striking stimulus to thenervous system of the visitor is illustrated to be the involuntary actof the one answering the door. It should be noted that one so answeringthe poor has not found it incumbent upon himself to verbally admonishthe visitor to wipe his feet, since the visitor has already beenautomatically and rather strikingly induced to perform the act of wipinghis feet. It is important to note that the mat 18 must be proximate tothe doorway, as well as proximate to the bell 25, so that he will be inposition to clean the soles of his shoes by his involuntary kneejerkreaction at that particular place.

In the composite embodiment shown in FIG. 3 there is employed a treadle,or walk-on, switch generally designated at 42 which is positioneddirectly underneath the mat 18. The treadle switch generates anelectrical signal in response to the weight of the visitor, and may beeither serially or in parallel connection with, for example, interiorfoot switch 30 and/or any other initiating circuitry as will behereinafter discussed. The particular means used to close the circuitrywhich will illuminate the message, PLEASE WIPE FEET, must only beproximate to the doorway and actuatable by the involuntary or selectiveact of either a visitor or an inhabitant of the dwelling. In thisrespect, a manually operable interior switch 27 may also be provided oncontrol line 35, to allow an inhabitant to override the automaticselective actuation. For example switch 27 may be used to activate themessage either continuously or intermittently, when giving a party andthere is a particularly constant flow of people into and out of thedoor. As can also be seen in FIG. 3, a conventional doorbell 25 may bereplaced with another doorbell 25', which by virtue of having anotherset of contacts, not illustrated, is operable to simultaneously energizethe reminder message with the ringing of a conventional door chimewithin the dwelling.

At this point it should be noted that this reminder to Wipe ones feet isalso effective with frequent inhabitants of the dwelling, such aschildren. Even though a child would quickly become familiar with theadmonition electrically thrust upon him to wipe his feet, his continuedresponse to this admonition would be assured by the suddenness of thereminder whenever actuated. In other words even to frequent inhabitants,with familiarity with the visual message previous stimulations willinduce a Pavlovian-type response, wherein a child, or other frequentinhabitant, finds himself involuntarily wiping his feet with steppingupon any mat! Hence, unlike a passive sign, for example, which may beunconsciously or even studiously avoided by merely averting ones eyeswhenever approach is made towards an entranceway, the sensory dominanceof the instant reminder system ensures a reflex or knee-jerk wiping ofones feet. Furthermore, it induces or promotes in an inhabitant thedesired social grace of wiping ones feet upon arriving at anyentranceway.

Manifestly, minor changes in details can be effected without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the methodology taught herein, and it istherefore to be understood that, within the scope of the appendedclaims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specificallydescribed.

I Claim:

1. The method of inducing one arriving at an entranceway to wipe onesfeet on a mat, proximate and exterior to said entranceway, comprisingthe steps of:

A. locating a mat exterior and proximate to an entranceway into abuilding structure, and;

B. generating, by electrical circuit means, an electrical signal inresponse to the presence of one stand- .ing upon said mat, and;

C. transmitting said electrical signal to a visual message presentingmeans mounted on an exterior wall of said building, proximate saidentranceway, and;

D. illuminating, at said visual message present means,

a visual message, said message comprising the wiping of one s feet, inresponse to said generated signal.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said signal means is generated bysensing the arrival of another person, within the said building, at theinterior of said entranceway.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said signal is generated by the weightof said one upon said mat.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said signal is generated by theactuation of a doorbell mounted exterior to said building and proximateto said doorway.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said generated electrical signal alsoactuates audible signal means within said visible message presentingmeans.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said illumination is an externalillumination of fluorescent letters comprising said message.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said illumination is through a plate,said plate having perforations comprising letters of said message.

8. An automatic reminder to induce one, proximate and exterior to anentranceway, to wipe ones feet, comprising:

A. a mat located exterior and proximate to an entranceway, and;

B. electrical signal generating means activated in response to thepresence of one upon said mat, and;

C. electrical circuit means interconnecting said signal generating meansto a visual message presenting means proximate said entranceway, and;

D. said visual message presenting means further comprising illuminatingmeans to illuminate a visual message, comprising the wiping of onesfeet, in response to a signal generated by said signal generating means.

I PLEASE WIPE FEET.

9. The automatic reminder of claim 8 wherein the electrical signalgenerating means further comprises a means responsive to the arrival ofanother person at the interior side of said entranceway.

10. The automatic reminder of claim 8 wherein the electrical signalgenerating means further comprises a means directly responsive to theweight of said one upon said mat.

11. The automatic reminder of claim 8 wherein the electrical signalgenerating means further comprises a means responsive to the actuationof a doorbell, exterior to said building and proximate to saidentranceway.

12. The automatic reminder of claim 8 wherein the visual messagepresenting means further comprises an audible signal means responsive tosaid generated electrical signal.

13. The automatic reminder of claim 8 wherein said illuminating meanscomprises a direct illumination of fluorescent letters comprising saidmessage.

14. The automatic reminder of claim 8 wherein said illuminating meanscomprises an illumination through a plate having perforations fordefining letters comprising said message.

15. The .automatic reminder of claim 8 wherein the specific messageilluminated is comprised by the letters

1. The method of inducing one arriving at an entranceway to wipe one''sfeet on a mat, proximate and exterior to said entranceway, comprisingthe steps of: A. locating a mat exterior and proximate to an entrancewayinto a building structure, and; B. generating, by electrical circuitmeans, an electrical signal in response to the presence of one standingupon said mat, and; C. transmitting said electrical signal to a visualmessage presenting means mounted on an exterior wall of said building,proximate said entranceway, and; D. illuminating, at said visual messagepresent means, a visual message, said message comprising the wiping ofone''s feet, in response to said generated signal.
 2. The method ofclaim 1 wherein said signal means is generated by sensing the arrival ofanother person, within the said building, at the interior of saidentranceway.
 3. The method of claim 1 wherein said signal is generatedby the weight of said one upon said mat.
 4. The method of claim 1wherein said signal is generated by the actuation of a doorbell mountedexterior to said building and proximate to said doorway.
 5. The methodof claim 1 wherein said generated electrical signal also actuatesaudible signal means within said visible message presenting means. 6.The method of claim 1 wherein said illumination is an externalillumination of fluorescent letters comprising said message.
 7. Themethod of claim 1 wherein said illumination is through a plate, saidplate having perforations comprising letters of said message.
 8. Anautomatic reminder to induce one, proximate and exterior to anentranceway, to wipe one''s feet, comprising: A. a mat located exteriorand proximate to an entranceway, and; B. electrical signal generatingmeans activated in response to the presence of one upon said mat, and;C. electrical circuit means interconnecting said signal generating meansto a visual message presenting means proximate said entranceway, and; D.said visual message presenting means further comprising illuminatingmeans to illuminate a visual message, comprising thE wiping of one''sfeet, in response to a signal generated by said signal generating means.9. The automatic reminder of claim 8 wherein the electrical signalgenerating means further comprises a means responsive to the arrival ofanother person at the interior side of said entranceway.
 10. Theautomatic reminder of claim 8 wherein the electrical signal generatingmeans further comprises a means directly responsive to the weight ofsaid one upon said mat.
 11. The automatic reminder of claim 8 whereinthe electrical signal generating means further comprises a meansresponsive to the actuation of a doorbell, exterior to said building andproximate to said entranceway.
 12. The automatic reminder of claim 8wherein the visual message presenting means further comprises an audiblesignal means responsive to said generated electrical signal.
 13. Theautomatic reminder of claim 8 wherein said illuminating means comprisesa direct illumination of fluorescent letters comprising said message.14. The automatic reminder of claim 8 wherein said illuminating meanscomprises an illumination through a plate having perforations fordefining letters comprising said message.
 15. The automatic reminder ofclaim 8 wherein the specific message illuminated is comprised by theletters PLEASE WIPE FEET.